How I Use the Internet When Travelling

I couldn’t live without the internet. Lets face it, many of us are in that same position.

These days, it’s essential for all homes and businesses to have good broadband, like this one from Talk Talk Business. Without it, we would all fall behind, but things haven’t always been this way.

Having grown up in the early 90s, I can remember a time when we had to rely on more traditional ways to get through the day. Back when we needed paper maps to find our way around. Or when we had to find out about things via a book in the reference library (or in that set of encyclopaedias that everyone had at home). When I was a young child, having a PC at home was a luxury not many people could afford. I can still remember loading up the AOL disk in to my first computer as a young teen, excited to see I could chat to my school mates via MSN messenger. Things have changed a lot since then, and as I’ve grown older, so has my use of the internet.

I use the internet every day in my home life. When my children ask weird and wonderful questions that I cannot answer, I turn to the internet, my great fountain of knowledge. When I’m obsessing about weather or not we are going to get snow, I can religiously check the weather forecast every hour. The internet allows me to work at home, doing what I love. It has also revolutionised the way I travel.

Using the Internet When Travelling

Ok so I’m hardly a jet setter. But whether you are travelling to work, or across the world on a once in a lifetime trip, there is no denying the internet has made things a lot easier. I can remember as close as ten years ago, going on holiday was a very different experience. If you wanted to get online while you were away, it usually meant sticking a few euro in a communal computer in the hotel lobby. Your ten minutes was up before you’d even logged in. Now, most hotels have free wifi, and almost everyone has a phone or tablet to hand.

Maps

The single biggest help for me has been the use of maps on my phone. I’m not the greatest at finding my way around. I could get lost in a department store, so put me in a new city and I’m guaranteed to lose my way. In the past, my poor sense of direction would have put me off visiting somewhere new on my own. Now when I’m travelling, I use Google maps to plan my journeys in advance. And when I lose my way on the go, I can just whip out my phone and find directions to get myself back on track.

Maps also help me to find out about locations in the area that might be of interest, so I know when to take a little detour. It’s the whole chain reaction of ‘Similar destinations in this area’ that you find when you search on google that allows me to find new things to do and new places to visit.

Online reviews

Is there anything worse than being in an unfamiliar area and not knowing where to eat. I’m so fussy with food. In the past, a trial and error approach was all that could be taken. An ‘I’ll try this eatery and hope for the best’ kinda thing. For some people who like to try new foods, that’s great, but I hated that. Now, I can just pull up reviews online, and find out what restraints and cafes in the area have the best feedback, which makes it easier for me to decide where to eat.

Communication

One of the most fun things about using the internet when travelling is the ability to communicate with friends and family while you are away. As a child, I can remember the suspense of waiting for a post card from a family member, but now it’s all instant. It’s nice to be able to communicate your safety at the touch of a button, or share photos of your journey with people who care.

What do you use the internet for when travelling? I’d love to know in the comment below!

1 Comment

I got so nostalgic reading this Lol! We’ve certainly come a long way since those days, but I remember it clearly too. We really do live in a great time as far as technology goes. I have no idea what I would do without, Google, Pinterest and GPS! Oh and Amazon lol!!
Thanks Lauren!Jeannie recently posted…They Grow Up Way Too Fast

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I'm a 29 year old married mam of two originally from South Shields now a resident of Northern Ireland. Lover of writing, reading, photography, cats, coffee & sugar skulls! Harry Potter / The Walking Dead Nerd.

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